The 2024 final rule was not a new requirement—web accessibility is mandated by the ADA. State and local governments have had decades to comply. Delaying the deadline for another year excludes people with disabilities from accessing critical information. www.aapd.com/aapd-stateme...

This month is Limb Loss & Limb Difference Awareness Month. People with limb loss and limb difference often face barriers when accessing healthcare. Check out these reminders from the Amputee Coalition to ensure your healthcare facility is accessible. #LLLDAM2026 amputee-coalition.org/resources/fi...

DEC's Implementation Guide includes 10 general resources to assist healthcare organizations in implementing any kind of accessibility initiative. Appendices include: 🗣️Appropriate Disability Language 📜Federal Requirements ✍️Policy Writing Guidance 📊Project Planning Tips

Recording disability status as a demographic in the EHR is critical for HCOs to address health disparities and provide accommodations to patients with disabilities. DEC’s public comment for USCDI v7 supports this standard. Sign on by the end of today: forms.gle/DwfRXieHa5aR...

📢Public comments on USCDI v7 are due April 13th. Review and sign on to support DEC’s public comment in support of the PACIO Project's recommendations to record patient Disability Status as a demographic in the EHR before COB Friday, April 10th. forms.gle/DwfRXieHa5aR...

Discover actionable strategies to enhance your website’s accessibility without requiring a complete redesign in this insightful article from @amlibraries.bsky.social: bit.ly/4rJyWWh

🌟April is #AutismAcceptanceMonth! DEC is committed to providing healthcare organizations with the knowledge and tools they need to ensure their patients with autism have equal access to healthcare.

Thrilled to see the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research. We look forward to partnering with our stakeholders on person-centered research, interventions, and resources that advance health equity and accessibility for people with disabilities. dpcpsi.nih.gov/disabilityhe...

This #DDAM2026, we're highlighting resources from other organizations working to improve healthcare quality & accessibility for patients with #IDD. The HealthMatters Program offers health promotion programs for people with IDD & their supports. healthmattersprogram.org

Join DEC's Standards & Guidelines workgroup ahead of our first meeting next Wednesday, April 1 at 12:00 PM EST. The workgroup collaborates to develop actionable guidelines and resources for implementing accessible healthcare. All are welcome! forms.gle/kyUFQnMFBKX7...

🗣️Effective communication is a shared organizational responsibility that should be embedded into routine clinical workflows. To be successful, consider including people across different departments or units on your initiative's implementation and leadership team.

✨DEC supports individuals, healthcare organizations, policy makers, advocates, researchers, and professional organizations working to address the health disparities experienced by patients with all types of disabilities. Learn more and get involved here: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/about/

The ADA National Network created a Service Animal Resource Hub is designed to answer all your questions about service animals and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)! Check it out here: https://adata.org/service-animal-resource-hub #ADA #ServiceAnimals

This #DDAM2026, we're highlighting resources from other organizations working to improve healthcare quality and accessibility for patients with #IDD. NICHE helps medical and dental schools develop curriculum to train students how to care for patients with IDD. www.nichecurriculum.org

Patients may have questions when asked about their disability status and accommodation needs in the healthcare setting, such as why the information is being collected. Below is a sample response for staff included in Chapter 2 of DEC's Implementation Guide.

This Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we're highlighting resources to improve healthcare quality and accessibility for patients with IDD. VUMC's IDD Toolkit provides information for patients & clinicians in the primary care setting. #DDAM2026 iddtoolkit.vkcsites.org

The Advancing Disability-Inclusive Health curriculum from the University of Illinois College of Medicine is a great free resource for medical students, healthcare students, and practicing providers to learn how to improve care and healthcare experiences for patients with disabilities. adih.uic.edu

DEC's Implementation Guide includes a screening tool to identify gaps in accessible care and services beyond ADA compliance at each stage of the medical encounter: 📞Pre-visit 🅿️Navigating to the facility ✍️Check-in & waiting room 🩺Clinical encounter/interaction 📄Post visit

Thank you @acpimphysicians.bsky.social for recognizing disparities experienced by people with disabilities. The recommendations—including strengthening facility accessibility, disability documentation, and data collection—are critical to improve care. www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...

It's Patient Safety Awareness Week! Patients with disabilities are more likely to experience adverse events & preventable harm in healthcare. Reducing these disparities should be a part of any patient safety conversation. DEC can help you start: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/healthcare-r...

This @americanprogress.bsky.social toolkit is a great resource to understand HHS’s updated Section 504 rule. Looking for guidance on implementing the rule at your healthcare organization? Consider joining DEC’s Leaders workgroup (more info on our website). www.americanprogress.org/article/tool...

Did you know that the ADA National Network provides information, guidance, and training on how to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act? Get additional info and stay up to date with ADA National Network news by checking out our website: https://adata.org/ #ADA #Disability #PwD

Thank you to Dr. Jae Kennedy for an insightful presentation on medical ableism today. We are grateful to all those on the call for such an engaging discussion! ICYMI, check out the recording on our YouTube: youtu.be/K7Xp5p0v9k0?...

Today is World Hearing Day! DEC is committed to improving effective communication and accessibility in healthcare for people of all ages with hearing loss. This year's theme highlights childhood hearing loss. Learn more here: www.who.int/campaigns/wo...

📢TOMORROW: Join DEC's Research workgroup for a presentation from Dr. Jae Kennedy, "Disability Perspectives on the Adverse Effects of Medical Ableism" at 12:00 PM EST.

Building and sustaining an accessibility initiative at your organization requires system level engagement, including support from leadership. Below are individuals listed in DEC's Implementation Guide that could be included when gathering support for your initiative.

February is Low Vision Awareness Month! Below are a few resources in DEC's Implementation Guide for creating accessible print materials—such as after-visit summaries—for patients with low vision. ✍ www.section508.gov/develop/font... ✍ www.ndrn.org/accessibilit... ✍ www.acb.org/large-print-...

Join us NEXT WEEK on March 4th for our first research presentation of 2026! Access the Zoom link and view more information here: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/dec-research...

A really great article from PRISM Reports highlights a critical issue: healthcare #accessibility for people with disabilities cannot improve without better #disability #data! prismreports.org/2026/02/16/d...

Be sure to join our friends at the @pacificada.adata.org for this upcoming webinar for service animal handlers and healthcare professionals to learn about SA best practices in healthcare settings - happening 2/19/26 us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Beyond ensuring your organization's compliance with accessibility-related laws and regulations, a healthcare organization's accessibility program can include a wide range of activities. DEC's Implementation Guide names several:

Engaging people with disabilities in your community is essential when implementing any accessibility initiative at your organization. To gather feedback, you could: 💼Create an advisory committee 💬Host listening sessions 👥Facilitate focus groups 📝Administer surveys

DEC's website houses resources to support healthcare organizations implementing accessibility initiatives, including effective communication, digital accessibility, provider and staff education, and more. www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/healthcare-r...

Healthcare providers and staff often have questions about providing accommodations to patients. Below is one of the frequently asked questions and a sample answer included in Chapter 3: Providing Accommodations of DEC's Implementation Guide:

Dr. Morris and DEC Leaders are honored to have had the opportunity to help inform GAO's report on barriers to healthcare accessibility, disability data collection, and federal oversight. DEC is ready to work with our partners and HHS to implement GAO's recommendations. www.gao.gov/products/gao...

The National Council on Disability is requesting public input to help shape a policy brief on disability clinical care and competency training. Share your perspective by January 6, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Share your input here: www.ncd.gov/2025/12/01/d...

Happy New Year! The DEC Team is excited for a 2026 full of collaboration, learning, and working with our community to improve the accessibility of healthcare✨

Do you want to learn more about the foundation of accessible healthcare? Our fact sheet provides guidance on how to make medical offices accessible, disability etiquette, tips for effective communication, and more: https://adata.org/factsheet/accessible-health-care #ADA #Healthcare #Accessibility

💡When communicating with patients with communication disabilities, always start by asking if they have a preferred communication strategy—they know their needs best. Here are a few verbal communication strategies included in DEC's Implementation Guide providers can use when speaking to patients:

Do I have a disability as defined by the ADA? This is answered in "Definitions of a Disability," an ADANN resource! Learn more here: https://adata.org/factsheet/ada-definitions #Disability #PwD #ADA

DEC’s Research, Documentation, and Standards & Guidelines workgroup meetings will restart in 2026! Click here to learn more about our workgroups and complete the interest form to sign up: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/workgroups/

In 2026, DEC will release “Accessible Healthcare for People with Disabilities: An Implementation Guide for Healthcare Organizations”. Here are a few of the sample questions included in our Documentation chapter to collect patients' disability status and accommodation needs:

Disability accessibility is more than just the right thing to do—it's the law. Establishing an accessibility program at your healthcare organization can: ❤️‍🩹Reduce health disparities for patients with disabilities 👍Improve patient satisfaction 🔻Reduce workplace injuries 💵Save money

Disability “means you can’t do things,” says Dennis Meade, 86, of Michigan. “As long as you can work with it and it’s not affecting your life that much, you don’t consider yourself disabled.” https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/older-people-disability-ada-michigan/

📢 Do you work on disability accessibility initiatives in a healthcare setting? Consider joining DEC’s Leaders workgroup to share ideas, solve problems, and connect with peers at over 50 health systems across the country: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/workgroups/practice-workgroup/

We're back! The DEC team has been busy working behind the scenes to transition to our new home at NYU. Read our latest What’s on DEC newsletter below for all the updates: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org/whats-on-dec...

Hi Bluesky! We’re the Disability Equity Collaborative – the nation’s leading organization developing practical solutions to improve disability access in healthcare through research and collaboration. Check out our website to learn more: www.disabilityequitycollaborative.org